, 1887-09-14
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY OF CUBA.
Letter mo. y to the Louisiana SagGr BO'0!.

sugar districts, undertaken in the hope OF
learning that which might prove of personal
advantage in the conduct of sugar manutac-
ture at home, the undersigned accedes with
hesitation to the request, made by the Editor
of the SugarBowl and q few beside, to extend
to others, locally concerned with sugar. the
results of Investigations, which, at BEST were
extremely superficial.
There, as here, information OF q reliable
nature is found at once exceedingly dlnculS
to obtain | Opinions, too often expressed
with the positiveness of fact, leave the en-
quirer to distinguish, if he can, between the
two. Opinions there also, as with ourselves
reach contradictory extremes, such as are
ever the infallible sign of a transition state,
in which the intelligence OF g community
failing to coordinate the knowledge when
it's efforts have acquired, is without definitely
settled convictions. Comparatively few places
have weighed canes beyond very limited
periods, with the result of but scanty present
accommodations OF data sufficiently accurate 10
possess value. There, as here, it Is OF extreme
interest, besides being highly instructive to
observe, however, the remarkable impetus
which the introduction of scales has impaired
to progress. AS appears to be the case IN
Louisiana, those places, In general, thus long
est weighed, are those precisely which nave
made Improvement the most rapid and sun"
stantial together with ~pecuniary profit The
most satisfactory.
One-half the Cuban crop has this season
passed over the scales, while the custom OF
weighing is vet much more rapidly extending
there than among ourselves, as the necessary
concomitant of a coincident extension OF the
central plantation system. hemis also
and of course, chemical control of sugar house
manipulation, were found at a majority OF
the larger institutions visited. These must
now soon place in the Cubans possession,
information such as will further stimulate
and accelerate his already somewhat rapid
march towards comparative proficiency IN
his manufacturing operations, at least!
While, unfortunately, the most valuable
and authentic information secured was I'M
parted as confidential, and, in one instance,
with an expressed prohibition against publca-
ton. it is vet more to be regretted that, for
the most part, such knowledge as resulted
from the Journey should have proved itself to
be of interest merely, rather than OF lmmedl-
ate industrial Importance. All when was
learned, however, tended to coroborate, as
of more than general reliability, such matter
as has heretofore appeared IN the Sugar-bo"A
over the signature of Jay Elk See.
Cuban agricultural would seem to teach
IlGGl6. eAE0Eblltg "a oOhS
and a superb climate for the purpose, pro-
duce. almost unaided, canes such as with US
REQUIRE man s best assistance. H. Nothing was
CLEANED in it's regard except that which, con-
frmatory of Mr.. Thomas Cages letter on
the subject, appearing in the New Orleans
Picayune of Sept. 2lst, 1881, can not yet
have escaped the memory of our planters.
To his statements exception must alone
in q single case be taken, namely, with re-
gard to the average area of cane land cut
over for the mill per team and per laborer
employed in the planting of the crop and IN
it's subsequent cultivation. While neither
man nor beast perform there an amount OF
work per diem equal to that accomplished
here, this area is greater in Cuba than ID
Louisiana, because of the small amount of
cultivation bestowed upon any particular plot
and the Insignificant portion OF the entire
crop which, BY comparisons, is, during ANY
particular year, either replanted or set aside
for seed. The cutting of q large field OF
eleventh wear canes, such as compared ia
yorably with average Louisiana plant canes
both IN appearances and tonnage. was OBJ
served in-prooress on one tract Of land which
never in It's history had known the plow and
of which It was said, that excepting the first
wear, two annual weddings at most had constr
suited its entire quantum of work. On one
mace visited, which last year produced over
100000 pounds OF sugar, the assurance was